


Break Your Fall

by MamaFriesmeal



Category: Kamen Rider Kiva, Kamen Rider W (Double)
Genre: Crossover, Crossover Pairings, F/F, Why Did I Write This?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-21
Updated: 2015-11-20
Packaged: 2018-05-02 15:44:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5253902
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MamaFriesmeal/pseuds/MamaFriesmeal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Maya and Shroud live together in the woods after Shroud accidentally breaks into Maya's house after Begins Night. Takes place during the canon of Kamen Rider W.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Look, I was just trying to make sense out of how Shroud managed to actually accomplish anything being an unstable homeless woman in the woods, and then I remembered she wasn't the only angry sad mom living in the woods in 2008 and then I wanted them to kiss and here we are.

The wind was cool at her back as Maya moved through the woods. Everything was silent and still aside from the wind and her footsteps. She hadn't even lived a year in the small house deep within the woods and it already looked overgrown. It made Maya smile as she returned to the home from a visit with her younger son. Both of her boys offered for her to stay with them, even after Taiga had had the house in the woods built for her. They worried, she knew, but they were grown men and didn't need to be tripping over their old mother as they found their way in the world so Maya insisted upon staying in her little house, out of the way, and simply visiting regularly. That was more than enough for the dethroned Queen of the Fangire.

She approached the door, opening it and stepping inside. She was so far from society that there was no need to concern herself with a lock. But as she shut the door and pulled away the hood of the long black cloak, Maya froze. Huddled in a far corner, away from the windows, was a person in black. Long brown hair, the cut of the coat was a woman's… Maya took a step forward, then stopped as the floor creaked beneath her. The woman in the corner lifted her head and turned toward her. Maya withdrew slightly. The woman's face was hidden entirely behind dirty bandages and a pair of large sunglasses.

"Who are you?" Maya lifted her chin, looking down at the broken figure taking refuge in her home. The woman simply stared back at her without making a sound. Not a Fangire… Human? Mostly, at least… The woman smelled human, but something wasn't quite right. Maya considered calling for Wataru or Taiga, but the figure seemed more afraid than hostile… Slowly, trying not to spook the unknown figure, Maya moved forward. The woman continued to watch her, but otherwise didn't move. Once Maya had reached her, she crouched down in front of the woman. "Are you alright? Are you hurt at all?" Still no response. Gently, Maya reached out to take the woman's hand. "My name is Maya. Who are you?" Still no response, and the hand in hers felt too warm and she could feel it trembling slightly. Was she sick? Maya gave the woman a gentle smile before releasing her hand. "You must be hungry…"  
Maya released the woman's hand and rose slowly, backing away before turning to the small kitchen. "Hmm…" She didn't often keep human food. She didn't need it and ended up forgetting about it until long after it spoiled. She looked through the pockets of her coat until she found the cell phone that Taiga had given her and called Wataru.  
"Wataru? No, no. I am fine. I just need you to do something for me." Maya looked over her shoulder, wondering what the woman might want. "Could you bring some human food here? Anything will do... No, I am fine. Really. Yes, alright. Thank you, dear." Maya hung up and walked to the entrance of the living room. "Food will be here soon." She assured softly, but the woman's back was to her again.

 

Maya sat out on her front steps, leaving the door open just in case she was needed, and waited until Wataru appeared with several shopping bags, Kivat trailing behind carrying another in his teeth. "Mother?" Wataru asked softly as he approached, wondering what all of the food was for.  
"Oh!" Maya beamed, taking the bags from her younger son to inspect the contents, "This is more than I expected. This should last a while." She reached out to take the bag Kivat was struggling to hold up and patted Wataru's head. "Thank you. I am sorry about calling you out right after visiting."

 

"Are you sure everything is alright, Mother?" The worry was clear on Wataru's face, but Maya just smiled gently and nodded at him.

"Everything is fine." Maya assured her son, "If there is any trouble, I will call you and Taiga for help." Wataru clearly wasn't convinced, but Maya ignored Kivat's protests as she shooed them away before gathering the bags of food to take in to her guest. She cut up bread, cheese, and an apple and arranged it all on a plate. She carried it out to the living room and set it down in front of the masked figure. "There. If you want more, just let me know, all right?" Maya smiled, waiting for a response she knew that she wouldn't get. She took the woman's hand again. It felt a little cooler, but she was still shaking. "I'll leave you alone so you can eat." Maya squeezed the woman's hand before letting it go to retreat to the kitchen to put away the rest of the food. It would be enough for a few days at least.

Now and then Maya would peek into the living room and noticed that even though the woman didn't seem to have moved, more and more of the food was gone from the plate every time. Maya beamed, pleased by the fact that her visitor was eating. When all of the food was gone, she collected the plate. "I will bring you more in the morning." Maya touched her hand, and she wasn't sure if it was a response to her, but she was sure the woman nodded slightly.  
It was hard for Maya not to check in on her guest overnight. She didn’t need as much sleep as a human, so it would have been easy enough to stay awake all night to tend to her, but the woman clearly needed space. Pushing her wouldn’t help open up who she was or why she was here. So Maya took a bath and retreated to her bedroom, sneaking out only once, close to midnight, to peer around the doorframe into the living room. The woman was standing by the window, staring out into the clear night sky. Maya watched until the woman sat again, just as she had been, knees pulled up to her chest, resting her arms across them and putting her head down. Maya stepped away and returned to her room to stare out at the same moon. What had that woman been thinking of? She supposed she might never know. 

Day after day passed with the same pattern. Maya would bring the woman food, sit beside her, hold her hand, and just talk. Mostly Maya talked about her sons, the elder and his successful business, the younger’s promising career as a violinist. Maya had no shame in the fact that they were Fangire, but she avoided the subject and talk of Kiva, if only out of concern for spooking the human taking shelter in her home.

After two weeks, Maya was running out of ideas. For two days she’d simply sat with the masked figure, holding her hand in silence. Now and then she was sure the woman would squeeze her hand and Maya would smile, but she knew they couldn’t go on like this. Fourteen days after the mysterious woman’s arrival in her home, Maya left to visit Taiga. It had taken some convincing, especially since she had been against it when he’d first built her the house, but after ten hours Maya returned home with a radio.

The masked woman lifted her head as Maya carried the large table radio into the house, beaming with pride. “I thought this way we do not have to talk.” Maya placed the radio on top of a cabinet and then crouched down to find an outlet for it. “I do not mind, but I am probably boring you just talking about Wataru and Taiga day in and day out… Ah! Here we go!” Maya chirped as she plugged the radio in. She stood up to start tuning the radio, humming thoughtfully as she looked for a station. She passed over a young woman talking, then jumped as there was a sudden tug on her dress. The masked woman was gripping the side of her dress, staring up at her. Maya stared down at her for a few moments before tuning the radio back to the cheerful voice of a woman talking about urban myths. “You.. want to hear this one?”

Maya watched the woman rise to her feet and took a few steps back. The woman’s hand rose to cover her mouth, or where it would be under the mask, and her shoulders began to tremble before the woman simply turned the radio off and sank back down to the floor. Maya quickly knelt beside her, “What? What is wrong?” As the woman began to claw at the bandages covering her face, Maya quickly took both of her hands, holding them tightly. “Shh… It is all right. We will not turn the radio back on. It is all right.” Maya cooed as the woman’s head lowered, her face pressed against Maya’s hands as they gripped hers. “You are safe. I will keep you safe.”  
The woman shook her head, “Wakana…” The woman’s voice was soft and shook terribly. “What have I done?” Shroud pulled herself away from Maya to move to the window. Maya remained where she sat. “...Oh god…” The masked woman’s voice was warped, scratchy… But Maya couldn’t mistake the deep painful grief that welled from deep in her throat.

“I do not know.” Maya responded. It caused the woman to jump, as if she had completely forgotten Maya was there. She returned to Maya, sitting across from her. Maya reached out to touch her hand again, but that resulted in the woman looking away from her. “Who are you?” Maya repeated the first words she had ever spoken to this woman.

 

“....Shroud.”

 

Was that a name? Maya wasn’t sure. But it was a place to start. “I am called Maya. I am… sorry if the radio upset you.”

Shroud shook her head. “That… was my daughter.”

This caught Maya off-guard. She tilted her head slightly and looked toward the radio. “Your daughter?” Shroud nodded. Maya smiled a little, “Her voice is pretty. It reminds me a bit of a woman I used to know.”

“I abandoned her… Both of my daughters…” Shroud shuddered, “I left them with that monster… And now Raito…” Her voice caught in her throat. Maya’s heart sank. three children… This woman couldn’t reach any of them, could she?

“Tell me what happened.” Maya squeezed Shroud’s hands, keeping them in her own, hoping that was enough to keep the broken soul grounded. And that was when it all came out… Maya listened as Shroud started long before her children were born, her years at the side of an amusing man that she loved dearly. Maya listened to tales of their youth, and how they began to drift away. Maya listened as Shroud spoke of her time falling in love with another man, marrying him, raising two daughters and a son. Shroud’s voice broke again when she told Maya that her young son, Raito, fell into the Earth and died.

Maya thought of her sons. Even though she had given them up, she wasn’t sure what she would have done if either had died. To lose even one child… Maya shifted a little closer as Shroud squeezed her hand and continued. “The Earth brought him back, and for a little while, we just continued on as if it hadn’t happened.”

“Brought him back?” Maya questioned softly. Shroud simply nodded and continued without further explanation. What explanation was there?

Maya listened as Shroud told of her husband’s descent into madness, the way he used their son as an experiment and a tool. She rubbed her thumb against the back of Shroud’s hand as she thought of her own former husband and how their marriage and their life had fallen apart. She could understand the pain in Shroud’s voice, the depth of that sorrow.

“Then one day he just went too far…” Shroud stared across the room. Maya couldn’t be sure because of the sunglasses, but it seemed like she was staring at the radio. “Raito was just a child… To have him creating GaiaMemories… Making weapons…” Maya could feel Shroud shaking beside her, could feel that same rise in body temperature from the first night. “I had to try to stop him. Raito was our son. But he’d already taken a GaiaMemory… Used it on himself… I couldn’t hold up against Terror. I just… took what I could and left. My poor girls…” Shroud’s head lowered again as she spoke of leaving the family, of her two daughters chasing after her, crying for her.

Maya thought of when she had left Taiga and Wataru… She hadn’t made the best choices in where to leave them, and that was clear to her now, but there had been no choice. Not for her, and not for the woman she was consoling. But Maya had at least left them both in safe places. She’d known they wouldn’t be hurt. But Shroud had left all three of her children with the same monster who had chased her from them. Maya could barely imagine how frightened and how guilty she must have felt.  
But Maya felt some of the excess heat bleed off and some of the tension slip out of Shroud as she continued and spoke of going back to her old friend for help, of the proud detective he had become. He was still strange and amusing, and a bit of a parody of the sort of man he wanted to be, but Narumi Soukichi’s heart was good and strong, and Shroud had believed that with him she had stood a chance of saving her children.

Shroud hesitated. She could tell that Maya was no normal human, but how in the world would she explain Skull? Kamen Riders had a long legacy, but these days they seemed like nothing more than an urban legend that most had long forgotten. Maya lightly traced the lace patterns covering Shroud’s hand as she fell silent. “It’s okay…” Maya murmured, “...If it’s strange, I promise I’ve already seen stranger.”

“Do you know about the Kamen Riders?”

Maya chuckled softly, focusing on the patterns in the lace, “Yes, I know the stories.”

“Do you believe in them?” Shroud asked. Maya nodded, letting out a soft, agreeable hum, keeping her gaze turned down on Shroud’s hand. How could she not, after all? Her first husband, her lover, both of her sons… She was a part of those old tales. Shroud nodded, and Maya listened to the story of the first dopant attacks, a singer named Melissa, Soukichi’s resentful partner, and Soukichi being forced to become a Kamen Rider to save his life, and the lives of the people in Fuuto. Maya thought of Otoya, of how warm and funny and kind he was. Someone who had saved her from the monsters in her life the way this Soukichi had saved Shroud. And just like with Otoya, it had quickly fallen apart.

“In the end,” Shroud sighed, “the Spider dopant was Matsu. He was capable of creating small spiders in his body that he released into the city. They would embed themselves in people, and then transfer by touch to the person they cared for most. Then the spider would detonate, killing their loved one.”

Maya’s posture stiffened slightly. She remembered sometimes seeing newspaper articles or hearing snippets of radio as she wandered. Late in the summer.. Scores upon scores of explosions in Fuuto all at once. Now and then over the years, she’d hear about more explosions there with no real explanation. Knowing the truth behind them now, it shook something deeply within Maya. Someone so full of hate that they would destroy innocent people who did not even know the situation existed. Dozens… hundreds of people.

Shroud placed her free hand over Maya’s as it squeezed the one it held. “One embedded itself in Soukichi…”

“So you…” Maya looked over at her.

Shroud shook her head. “No, no. Maybe at one point in our lives, it would have been me. But we were long past that. He’d married a year or two after I did. He has a daughter. That night was her 8th birthday, actually.” Weak, helpless amusement stagnated in Shroud’s voice, “He’d never see her again, all because of me…”

“Shroud…”

“He killed Matsu. Soukichi never forgave himself for that. I put that burden on him.” Shroud squeezed Maya’s hand tightly, staring off into a corner of the room now.

Maya frowned, holding Shroud’s hand in her own tightly. “The man had to die.” She hissed softly, “Anyone with that much hate… They are a blight. Too many had already died from that hate. If he hadn’t been stopped, more would have.” The venom on Maya’s voice startled Shroud lightly, enough to quietly wonder what her host had seen in her lifetime.

After a few seconds, Shroud nodded, “That’s what I told Soukichi, but he carried those sins with him to his grave.”

“I’m sorry.” Maya murmured, “...When?”

“The night I came here.”

That alone explained so much. Maya remembered how lost she had felt after Otoya had died. She couldn’t go home, she was no longer the Fangire Queen. Shroud, like Maya, had wandered off into the emptiness of the world. That emptiness had led them to the same place, and though Maya had settled and found her place in the world, she was glad that she was on the same path as Shroud. She hoped that it would be easier to not have to walk through that darkness alone.

Maya rose, keeping hold of Shroud’s hand, “I want to hear the rest, but some air will do us good.” She smiled, pulling Shroud to her feet and toward the door. Shroud resisted, but Maya continued to tug at her hands until they were outside. It was late in the day now and the light filtering through the trees was dim. Maya held onto Shroud’s hand, her free hand reaching across to cling to the woman’s sleeve as she led her through the woods. “Now… What happened to him? Your…?”

“Partner.” Shroud filled in. Maya nodded. She wasn’t sure if he had been Shroud’s lover the way Otoya had been hers. It was obvious to Maya how deeply they had cared for one another, even from just recounted stories, but lovers might have been too far. Shroud seemed to take a lot of pride in the word “Partner” though, so Maya just nodded and walked beside Shroud as she told of the events that unfolded the night of her arrival. By the time that Shroud had finished, they had circled back to the house. Her partner was dead, her former husband had made her daughters into monsters, her son was in the hands of a reckless irresponsible boy… No wonder she had seemed so lost and afraid.

Maya rest her head against Shroud’s arm as they stood side by side in front of the house. “You have suffered so much.” she spoke gently, closing her eyes, “I never thought I would find another human that I was so drawn to.”

“What?” Shroud looked over at Maya, at the serene expression on her face as she continued to clutch Shroud’s hand.

A smile crept across Maya’s lips, “You are not the only one who has walked a strange past… In fact, our paths are far more similar than I expected.” She opened her eyes to look down at their joined hands. “In 1986, I was removed by my former husband and his followers from my position as the Fangire Queen.”

“Fangire?” It startled Shroud. This woman seemed so small and gentle. Knowledge of the Fangire wasn’t exactly common, but Shroud knew about more things than most people and had read old records. This woman was the same one she had read about?  
Maya released Shroud’s hand and pulled away from her, walking up the front steps to the door. “I’ll fix you some dinner and fill you in.” Without looking back, Maya disappeared into the house. Shroud knew there were two choices. She could run and find shelter elsewhere, or she could stay with this broken, lonely monster. She lifted the hand Maya had held day in and day out since she had come here, then dropped it to her side and climbed the front steps.

By the time she caught up to Maya in the kitchen, she was smiling again, sorting through what food was left. There wasn’t much. Maya sighed, “Are instant noodles okay for tonight? I’m going to visit Taiga tomorrow anyway so I can bring food back with me.”

“That’s fine…” Shroud nodded and sat at the table. She could have attended to it herself, but Maya seemed so pleased to put the kettle on. Once the flame had been lit under the kettle, Maya crossed to sit on the edge of the table.

“Now… I guess it’s my turn?” Maya looked over. Shroud nodded and let Maya begin her story. The cultural nature of the Checkmate Four, that it was her place as Queen to marry the King and mother his children, and her role maintaining a separation between the Fangire and Humans. Maya closed her eyes, turning her face away from Shroud, “For centuries, I hunted and killed my own people. I felt no remorse or regret. It was all I knew… Until Kurenai Otoya crossed my path.”

Shroud leaned back slightly in her chair. "…Why is that name so familiar?" She mentally ran down a list of professional acquaintances from before she left Museum, but it didn't seem to match to any of them.

Maya cocked her head slightly. "Did you know Otoya?"

Shroud rose from the chair as the kettle began to whistle, pouring the water into the foam cup. "I'm certain I know the name, I just can't remember from where…" Shroud looked over her shoulder at Maya.

An amused smile crossed Maya's lips as she slid off of the table. "Wait here. You'll remember right away, I'm sure!" Shroud watched Maya scurry off into the house, giggling like a child in spite of the Fangire Queen's worn appearance.

Shroud sat with the cup of instant noodles to wait for her return, and when Maya came back to the kitchen she was carrying a small, leather bound scrapbook. "I've only been able to start putting this together over the last few months. Wataru has been helping me." Maya smiled wistfully at the book before pulling a chair over beside Shroud. She opened the book and pointed to a photo with a newspaper clipping. "This is my Otoya." Maya said fondly. Otoya was dressed in a tuxedo, playing his violin proudly. Shroud nearly knocked over the cup as she brought a hand up to cover her mouth.

"H-Him?!"

Maya laughed, "You do know him!"

Shroud sighed heavily, letting out a small groan, "It's been decades… My ex-husband hired him to play at a party we threw for our investors."

Maya smiled, "He is enchanting, is he not?"

"That's one way of putting it." Shroud sighed, looking down at the photo, "He was good looking and rather charming, I'll give you that much."

"But?"

"But, I was eight months pregnant with my first child and married to the man that had hired him, and that didn't stop him from spending all night asking me to run away with him." Shroud sighed, turning the pages of the album to see various news clippings, magazine articles, and flyers about Kurenai Otoya and his performances.

Maya covered her mouth with both hands, barely muffling her laughter. "That certainly sounds like my Otoya." The pure joy and fondness with which Maya said it eased Shroud a bit, and she couldn't help chuckling softly. In hindsight, it was rather funny.  
"I hope by the time you met him, he'd gotten better than that." Shroud mused as she checked the noodles. "You're too good for the Kurenai Otoya that I remember."

That surprised Maya. It was true she had once believed herself too good for anyone but the Fangire King, but in truth… "Even with how many people I have hurt? All the lives I have taken…" Shroud turned her back to Maya before tugging away the bottom few loops of bandage wrapped around her face.

"The way I see it," Shroud says between bites, "You didn't have a choice. When it became a choice you chose not to hurt anyone anymore even though you were punished for doing so. You are aware of your sins, and you chose not to hurt more above your own well being." Shroud set down the half-finished cup, keeping her back to Maya, "And that was over twenty years ago… I'd say you've long since atoned for those days."  
For a moment there was silence between the two women, then there was the soft clattering of the scrapbook falling to the floor and Shroud's body tensed at the feeling of arms around her shoulders. Maya pressed her face into Shroud's back, "I have so many sins beyond just what I have done as the Fangire Queen." Maya murmured into the black coat. The pain she had caused to Otoya, the woman she took him from, her sons… 

"Count them."

Maya lifted her head from Shroud's back. "…W-What?"

"Out loud." Shroud said softly, taking one of Maya's hands between her own. She turned her head slightly, and Maya stared up at the bit of pale skin exposed behind the long hair and the old bandages. Shroud squeezed Maya's hand gently, "Count off your sins. When you say them, you'll be able to determine which you have made up for, and what you still need to do."  
Maya lay her head down against Shroud's back and closed her eyes and began to list off each person she had hurt and how she had hurt them one by one. Through it, Shroud held her hand, letting Maya cling to her for support as she faced her sins. After Maya finished, Shroud waited for a few moments to be sure she was done. “How do you feel?”

Maya leaned into Shroud’s back, finding comfort in the unusual warmth that radiated from her as she settled among all of the things she had done in her life. “...Better? Maybe?” Maya closed her eyes, “There are still so many things that I have to make up for, but I don’t think I’m as far behind as I thought I was.” She glanced up, able to see the thinnest hint of a smile on Shroud’s face. They really were more alike than Maya thought she ever could be to someone, especially a human.  
Shroud released Maya’s hand to finish eating, saying nothing as Maya continued to hold on to her. “It’s something Soukichi taught me. It won’t solve your problems… But it’s the first step to making things right.”

“You loved him so dearly…” Maya spoke softly, “I can feel it. It’s in your blood. It’s at the core of who you are.” Maya wondered if that was too strange to say. Fangire were more attuned to that sort of thing than humans, and the way Shroud’s heart beat when she spoke of her partner reminded her of the way her own beat when she thought of Otoya.

Shroud shifted a little and fixed the bandages over her face, “He and I were never meant to be. We almost came close… But then Matsu turned on him.” Shroud sighed heavily, leaning back slightly against Maya, “After that, there was no hope for it. We were both too shaken, too buried in what Ryubee was doing and what we would have to do to fix it.”

“It must be so painful.” Maya tightened her arms around Shroud’s waist. “I only knew Otoya for a small amount of time even by human standards, and losing him hurt so deeply. But to lose someone you had loved for so long… For your entire life…”  
Shroud shook her head, “It hurt more that I hadn’t been able to protect the friend who had stood by me, than losing a love I’d never really had.” Shroud looked at the arms around her waist, “But it must have been so hard for you… Kurenai Otoya started a change for you, didn’t he? To love someone so much to give up everything for them, and then for them to be gone before you can really have a life with them...”

“I see so much of him in Wataru.” Maya smiled a little, “He is so much like his father. Not in the womanizing, of course… But in other ways. So in that way, a part of Otoya is still here.” Maya sat up a bit to rest her chin on Shroud’s shoulder. “You said your Soukichi had a daughter… Is she like him?”

Shroud let herself sink back against Maya, soothed by Maya’s curiosity and closeness. “I’ve never met her. I hope she’s more like him than her mother.”

Maya laughed, “I am sure she is. Perhaps one day you will meet her, and I hope that when you do, you get to see that a part of your Soukichi lives on.” Her smile thinned slyly as she leaned in a little closer. “So you did not like his wife, hmm?”

“She was no good for him.” Shroud responded proudly.

“Because she was not you?” Maya cooed, teasing.

Shroud lifted a hand to bat gently at Maya over her shoulder, which only caused her to laugh more. “She was loud and pushy. She wanted to change him.” Shroud scoffed, “They had separated long before I came back into the picture.”

Maya smiled and squeezed Shroud lightly before releasing her. She picked up the scrapbook from the floor and threw away the empty noodle cup. “What will you do now? You still need to get your daughters away from your former husband…”

“And Raito is still with that stupid boy.” Shroud sighed, “I don’t know. Any plans I had involved Soukichi so they’re no longer of any use.”

Maya stepped in front of Shroud and held out her hands, giving the wide, please smile Shroud had become accustomed to from her. “I think I know just the thing. You showed me something you learned from your Soukichi, now let me show you something Otoya taught me.” Shroud looked up at Maya, then slowly took her hands and allowed Maya to pull her to her feet and guide her through the house. Maya opened a door and pulled Shroud into a large bathroom. Shroud looked around, then back to Maya for an explanation. “When you’re confused, a good long soak can help you clear your head and put everything into perspective.”

Shroud tilted her head toward Maya, “Are you sure he didn’t just want to take a bath with you?”

“I’m sure he did, but it’s still true.” Maya chuckled.

Shroud sighed, acknowledging to herself that Maya had a point. “Would it… be alright if I bathed alone?” After all, she had only been around Maya for a few weeks, and had only started to know her hours ago. Had it only been a few hours? Really less than one full day? It was hard to believe how much they had opened up to each other in such a short time. But even so, there were things Shroud wasn’t ready to talk about yet. She needed space for this.

For the briefest instant, disappointment crossed Maya’s face, but then the smile returned and she nodded. “I will be right outside if you need me.” She reached out to touch Shroud’s arm, then moved past her and out the door, closing it behind her. She sat on the floor outside the door, drawing her knees up to her chest, and smiled as she listened to Shroud shuffle around on the other side.


	2. Chapter 2

Shroud turned on the water and undressed as the tub began to fill. She folded her clothes and set them aside, the past weeks still cluttering her thoughts. What would she do about Raito? She couldn't leave him with Hidari, but she was hardly in a position where she could get involved. Shroud sank into the water, running over every angle that she could think of. For now, the agency was the safest place for him until she could find someone more suitable to protect Raito.

"…Maya?" Shroud looked toward the door.

"Yes?" Maya lifted her head, responding through the door.

At first Shroud wasn't sure how to respond. She wasn't sure if she had even really expected Maya to still be there. She took a few seconds to gather her thoughts then asked, "How did you know your sons would be safe?"

"Hmm…" Maya leaned back against the door, staring up at the ceiling, "…Because when I left them, I was still feared." Maya was quiet, then realized that didn't completely make sense, "What I mean is, the man I left Taiga with… I knew he would not harm him, because he know what I would do if he did. Kivat, though, was practically family. I knew he would care for Wataru." Maya sighed and picked at the ends of her hair, "I suppose neither were really the best choice, but my boys are strong and I am proud of them."

"I can't leave Raito with Soukichi's apprentice."

"Why not?" Maya looked over her shoulder at the door.

"He's an idiot." Shroud grumbled, "He's reckless and impulsive."

Maya smiled and folded her arms across her knees, resting her head on them, “That’s all boys that age though, isn’t it?”

“Exactly.” Shroud rest her head back against the edge of the tub. “He’s a child. He’s Wakana’s age. He can’t be expected to understand and fight what Ryubee has at his disposal.” She sighed, placing a hand over her face. “He wouldn’t last ten seconds against Terror.”

Maya closed her eyes, thinking about what Shroud had told her. The embodiment of Terror. Fear and pain and emptiness… He sounded so much like the King. “We will find someone else.” Maya vowed softly, reaching down to pluck at the hem of her cloak. “Once your former husband is dealt with, we can collect your son from the apprentice.”

“How?” Shroud posed the question to both Maya and herself. Ryubee knew she was still alive, and he had to know she’d been involved with taking Raito back. He’d be looking for her, which would add an unnecessary degree of difficulty to an already impossible task. A woman in all black with a covered face couldn’t just go around town asking people to murder her literal monster of an ex-husband.

Maya let out a small hum, “You leave that to me.”

“Maya, no…” Shroud sat up a bit, “You have your sons… Your life… Don’t drag yourself into my mess.”

Maya chuckled and shook her head, even though they had a wall between them. “I have been idle for far too long. I may no longer possess the power of the Fangire Queen, but I still have all of the pride. You won’t be able to do this alone, not if your former husband is even a fraction of what mine was.” Maya rose and inhaled deeply. It felt good somehow. It felt right. Maya knew she was no Kamen Rider. Someone who had committed the sins she had could never be a hero. But if she could protect this lost soul who had wandered into her care, then maybe she could make up for even a small amount of the pains he had caused. If not, Maya hoped that she could at least prevent more pain. “I’m going to get you something to change into. Don’t stay in too long.”  
Shroud sank back into the water as she heard Maya’s footsteps move away from the door before she could protest. She didn’t want to keep accepting help. She wondered if she should just leave while Maya slept. But where else was there to go? Shroud hadn’t even been sure where she was going when she had ended up here. There was still time before Ryubee would make a move on Hidari and the agency. There was still time before… Shroud exhaled. A little longer…

Shroud could stay a little longer until she had come up with a plan. She heard Maya’s footsteps again, and then a knock on the door. “I’ll be outside!” Maya called through the door. Shroud drained the tub and dried herself. She then hung up the towel and cracked the bathroom door. Peering outside, she didn’t see Maya, but on the floor in front of the door was folded white linen and a roll of bandage. Shroud lifted them and took them into the bathroom.

 

Maya stared at the bright moon overhead, enjoying the cold dead of night. The sky was clear, and the stars were brilliant so far away from the city lights. Maya turned her head as she heard the front door open. She couldn’t remember when or where she had picked up the old victorian nightgown -- A gift from the King maybe? Or Bishop? -- still new at the time she had received it. It suited her guest nicely with its high collar and lace. The black lace gloves and stockings seemed a little silly with it, though not as silly as the large black sunglasses. But the nightgown and the bandages were clean, and she hoped that helped Shroud feel at ease.

“It looks lovely!” Maya chirped as she turned, happily bounding through the tall grass to grasp Shroud’s hands. “That is my gift to you, alright?” Maya cooed happily. “I’m sure that I have a few more things that would fit you. We seem to be about the same size.”

“Thank you, but you don’t need to go to the trouble of--”

“Nonsense!” Maya cut Shroud off, “You cannot just wear that dress and coat day in and day out. They need to be cleaned and you will be more comfortable if you change your clothes regularly.” Maya pulled Shroud back toward the house, “Now, you have been sitting on the floor for two weeks. You need a proper night’s rest in a proper bed.”

“I’ll be fine--”

“None of that.” Maya interrupted as she led Shroud back up the front steps and through the house. Maya turned them down a short hallway past the bathroom and opened the door to a dark, finely decorated bedroom. Maya touched her cheek, glancing away with a slightly embarrassed smile. “Taiga and Wataru really do spoil me…” She felt it wasn’t really deserved with how she had treated them, but at least it was comforting visible proof that her relationship with her sons was mending.

Maya pulled Shroud across the room and sat on the edge of the bed, still holding her hand. “You need to rest.” Maya insisted, “You have a long road ahead.”

Shroud sat beside Maya, allowing her to keep hold of her hand. “I don’t want you to suffer. There are too many already who’ve suffered due to this. Soukichi is dead because I dragged him into my mess.”

“I know.” Maya said softly, “But no one can make me suffer more than the King did.” She leaned over and rest her head against Shroud’s shoulder. “I will not fight. I will not do any more than just get what you need for you. But you need help.”

“He said the same things.” Shroud looked away from Maya, “He promised me that he wouldn’t get hurt, and look where that led him.”

Maya lifted her head, “I am not a fragile human!” She gripped Shroud’s hand tightly, “I have been around for centuries! When I was Queen, I was second only to the King! I may not have all of that power now, but I am not weak!”

Shroud was startled by Maya’s sudden ferocity. It reminded her of her daughters, her son… Herself. She knew from her own history that a woman like this could not be persuaded or argued with. She turned slightly, reaching her free hand across to touch Maya’s shoulder. “Do not take unnecessary risks. Your sons need you.”

Maya smiled, “I will be fine. No unnecessary risks. You have my word.” She pulled away from Shroud, releasing her hand to climb into the bed and lay down. “Now you need rest. You have barely slept in days. I have checked on you at night and I have seen you moving around. Lay down and rest. In the morning we will begin working on a plan.”

Shroud lay beside Maya, allowing her to wrap blankets around them both. She had become accustomed to sharing a bed, as there had only been on in Narumi’s office, and the fact that he had ambitions as a gentleman coupled with circumstances between them led to her not always sleeping on the old couch in the garage. She was glad for, if nothing else, that slight bit of consistency, even if the bed and the company was very different from what she had known in the past decade. She had help. Somehow this time she might be able to fix everything.

Maya watched Shroud in the darkness, smiling as the broken woman finally drifted off to sleep. It was the first real sleep Maya could remember her getting since she had first appeared. Exhaustion would overtake her now and then as she sat on the floor, but that hardly counted. It was well into the night, hours of watching to make sure Shroud was able to sleep soundly, before Maya closed her eyes and allowed herself the small rest she needed. There was no longer any time to waste. In the morning she would make breakfast for them, and then they could take a long walk in the morning air to begin planning for Hidari Shoutarou’s replacement.

 

The next morning Maya woke early, pleased to find Shroud still fast asleep beside her. Maya climbed out of bed, careful not to wake Shroud. She was sure that Shroud needed all the sleep she could get right now. Maya bathed, then went to the kitchen and cut up the remaining bread and fruit, then left it on the table beside the best with a note that she had gone to see Wataru and get more food.

Shroud slept into the afternoon, her exhaustion catching up to her. She was distressed by Maya's disappearance until she found the food and the note, and took the plate to the kitchen to see if Maya had returned yet. Finding herself still alone in the house, Shroud took the plate to the living room and turned the radio on. The Fuuto stations still played jazz this time of day. It was nostalgic, but a little bittersweet. It made her want coffee, but the idea of coffee and jazz was heartbreaking, still a reminder of the fresh wounds of losing her partner.

When Maya returned, Shroud was still on the sofa with the empty plate. Wakana was on the radio now, reading local legends and rumors. Maya set down the bags she was carrying by the door and quickly went to the living room to sit beside her. She scooped Shroud’s hand into hers and sat in silence until the radio broadcast was over. 

“Are you alright?” Maya asked softly, and Shroud nodded then rose to gather the bags of food to carry them to the kitchen. Maya followed, watching as Shroud quietly put the groceries away, answering when she asked where Maya kept certain things. “...Shroud?”

“How is your son? The note said you were going to see him?” Shroud asked calmly, as if nothing was on her mind at all. Maya walked over and began helping her put things away.

“Wataru is doing well.” Maya responded gently, “He is helping his half-broth bring peace to the Fangire, and he is making a good living creating violins.” Maya supposed that if shroud didn’t want to talk about it, there was no need to push. Not just yet anyway.

Once the groceries were put away, Maya took Shroud by the hand and led her outside. They walked long past sunset, talking about their lives, things they’d seen… Maya had centuries worth of stories to ease her friend’s troubled mind. She told Shroud stories of people who now only existed in history crossing paths with great literaries and creatives, seeing the changes from era to era as human society advanced. And when they grew tired, Maya led Shroud back to the home they shared and let Shroud bathe alone while she prepared a small meal. They ate together with the radio on, then went to bed.

This pattern continued over the next several months into the warm summer. Once Shroud was awake and Maya was home, they would go into the woods and walk until they were tired. Most days they would discuss their plans, what measures could be taken and what risks would be involved. Others, when Maya felt Shroud was too stressed and losing herself to her pain, Maya would recount her days as the Fangire Queen, and all of the interesting things she had seen and people she had met. They would walk hand in hand, trading stories about Kurenai Otoya and Narumi Soukichi. Some days Maya would talk about her sons, and those seemed to be the days that calmed Shroud the most. It was a Mother’s love that drove Shroud, and Maya found it was what she responded the most to. Then they would begin to plan again.

 

As summer began drew to a close, Shroud began to go out on her own, wandering back to Fuuto to see what was changing, following the rumors of monsters and mysterious happenings that her daughter would speak about on the radio. The first afternoon that Maya had come back from visiting Taiga to find the house empty, she had panicked. She’d searched the woods until dark, then returned home and sat in the tall grass to wait, worried that Ryubee had found Shroud somehow. But just as the last light of the day faded, Maya turned toward the sound of rustling in the shrubbery and grass. Her face brightened as the dark figure moved toward her and Maya quickly got to her feet to throw herself at Shroud. “I have been so worried!” Maya threw her arms around Shroud’s neck, holding on to her tightly. “Where have you been? I thought your former husband had gotten you.”

Shroud lifted an arm around Maya’s back to steady her. “I need to know what’s happening inf Fuuto. I needed to see it for myself. We won’t get anywhere if I just sit here all day.” Maya huffed, which caused Shroud to chuckle softly. “I came back, didn’t I? I’m not going to just leave you.”

“You had better not.” Maya protested.

Shroud simply held Maya a little tighter for a moment before leading her inside. “There’s someone I’m going to keep an eye on. He’s a bit unstable, but he might be able to kill Ryubee. Once that’s handled, I should be able to eliminate him myself.”  
“Unstable?” Maya questioned, worried, as she headed for the kitchen.

“It seems that he’s already gotten a hold of a few GaiaMemories and has done some experiments on himself. It hasn’t gotten him far, but if I can figure out which Memory would work best with him, he might be strong enough to get rid of our biggest obstacle.”

“That does not sound safe.” Maya fretted as she put water in the kettle.

Shroud sat at the table, “It’s a risk I have to take. I don’t have many Memories, but I must have something I can use.”

Maya took the package of tofu Wataru had bought for her and began to carefully slice and cube it for the soup. “Are you sure it’s the best way?”

“No.” Shroud admitted, “But it’s all I’ve got for now.”

Maya sighed and quietly prepared their meal.Shroud had appeared at the end of Winter, Five months maybe? She hadn’t expected to become this attached. Attached in a way that she hadn’t been since Otoya. “Protect her, Maya.” she told herself, “Even if it is from herself, you must protect her.” If Shroud wanted to go through with this plan, Maya would just make sure she didn’t get hurt. Maya couldn’t be certain if this was the same love she had felt decades ago, or just a different for mof the emotion, but she was resolute no matter what the feeling in her chest was or if it would be reciprocated.

She regretted with the depths of her infinite soul that she had not been able to save Otoya, but there was comfort in the fact that her sons lived on and that the future promised happiness for them. Otoya would be proud of how strong Wataru had grown. Had she grown stronger? Would Otoya be proud of what she was doing? Maya thought on it for a few moments, and decided it didn’t matter. Right now as no time to cling to those memories. There was someone alive who needed her.

Maya set the meal out on the table and quietly watched Shroud eat. Halfway through the meal Shroud set her food aside and reached out to place her hand on Maya’s arm. “You don’t have to be afraid. I know what I’m doing.”

Maya glanced away, ”I trust you. But nothing is ever certain. No matter how much you plan, it can go awry. Especially with unpredictable factors.” She clenched her hands into fists in her lap, “But you will be safe. I will see to it. We will save your children.”

Shroud finished her food, “We haven’t walked today…”

“It’s late…” Maya commented.

“I don’t mind.” Shroud rose, bringing her dishes to the sink.

Maya smiled and finished clearing the table, then took Shroud by the hand, tugging her toward the door. “The dishes can wait. I’ll clean them while you’re in the bath.” She beamed, pleased to continue their habit. they’d get to bed later than normal, but Maya didn’t care. She took such joy from their walks. It made her feel normal somehow. This was a thing anyone could do with someone they cared for. Even with how much they talked about their pasts, Maya could forget just how much she had been hurt and how much Shroud was hurting. For a few hours, they could be less broken.

As they walked, Maya hummed old nursery rhymes and lullabies in lieu of conversation, chirping out different languages as she rest her head against Shroud’s shoulder in their procession through the darkness. There was barely a sliver of moon left in the sky, but the path was instinctual to them. There was still a clear line of disagreement between them on Shroud’s plan, but Maya had no alternative to offer. So all Maya could do for now was try to blur that line, make it forgotten until it was time to act, or until she could turn things another way.

When their circle finally looped back to the house, Maya released Shroud’s arm to turn toward the kitchen. “I’ll go clean everything up. You take your bath and then we’ll get some sleep.” She quickly turned back, stepping in close and leaning up slightly to kiss Shroud’s forehead. They were the same height, so it wasn’t hard, but the action caught Shroud off guard and she simply stood in the hall for a few moments staring after Maya as she disappeared into the kitchen.

Shroud turned down the hall and retrieved her nightgown from the bedroom before starting the bath and undressing. She washed, still thinking about what Maya had done. She knew there was still something of a culture gap between them, and things about the way Fangire behaved that she still didn’t understand, but… that… Maya had taken a human lover once. She had to be aware of how it could be taken. Shroud pulled her hands through her hair, finding herself more concerned with figuring out how she wanted to respond to it than the fact that it had happened.

 

Shroud sank into the bath, trying to think of how to approach the subject. Should she ask what Maya had meant by it? That felt juvenile and stupid. Could she get away with just pretending it hadn’t happened? Unlikely since they shared a bed. Maybe she could just spend the night in the living room… But that was cowardly. It had been so long since Shroud had needed to deal with even the consideration of this sort of thing, but rejecting Maya’s actions never crossed her mind.

Shroud drained the tub and dressed for bed, finding Maya already settled beneath the heavy blankets when she entered the room. “Are you awake?” Shroud asked softly, hoping not to wake Maya if she had decided to sleep already.

“I am.” Maya responded quietly. Shroud climbed into the bed and Maya looked over at her. “I have been wondering,” Maya asked softly, “Your partner’s apprentice… Why is he so unacceptable?” Shroud rolled on her side with her back to Maya.

“If he hadn’t been such an idiot, Soukichi would still be alive.” Shroud muttered.

“You fear he will lead your son to his death?” Maya asked, reaching out to touch Shroud’s arm.

Shroud sighed and shook her head slightly, “No… That’s just an easy way to justify it.” She pulled off her sunglasses and set them on the table beside the bed. “Hidari worshiped Soukichi. He built everything that he is around how he saw Soukichi live.”

Maya wrapped her arm around Shroud’s waist, “Would that not make him more trustworthy? If he was just like your partner?”

“He’s too much like Soukichi. He’s exactly what Soukichi was at that age.” Shroud answered, “That’s exactly the problem.”

“...I… do not understand.”

“I know the trouble Soukichi got himself into at that age. Hidari doesn’t understand the full weight of what he’s fighting.” Shroud pulled out of Maya’s hold to sit up. “He just wants to fight. He wants to do good, but can’t fathom what he’s up against, and he wouldn’t even know how to try.” Maya propped herself up on her arms, staring up at Shroud. Her sight in the dark was better than a human’s, and this was the first time she had seen Shroud’s eyes and the depth of fear and sorrow in them. Shroud looked over at Maya in the dark, backlit by the moonlight from the window. “Hidari is an idealistic child playing with a moral code far more mature than he is.”

Maya rest her head against Shroud’s hip, thinking about it. It felt like there was more she wanted to say, but it felt like this was already upsetting Shroud and she knew the woman couldn’t think clearly when upset. “Lay down.” Maya said gently. “We will not discuss it any further tonight.”

“It’s all right…”

“It is not.” Maya insisted, tugging on Shroud’s arm until she lay down again. Maya pulled the blankets around them. “It is upsetting you. If you say that this Hidari is not suitable, then he is not.” Maya wrapped her arms around Shroud’s shoulders, “I respect your judgement. You know more of this than I do.”

“Maya…”

“The matter is done. We will not speak of it more tonight.”

Shroud shook her head, “No, not that. Why do you always cling to me like this? And earlier…”

Maya smiled, “I am fond of you.” Her tone was straight-forward, as if the answer should have been obvious all along, but when she got no response, she shifted awkwardly and tried to untangle herself from Shroud. “I am sorry… I know for humans, it is sometimes odd for a woman to be fond of another woman…” Maya sighed and rolled onto her back, staring up at the ceiling.

Shroud reached over to take Maya’s hand. “No, no. It’s not that.” Though Shroud found herself surprised it wasn’t that. She had never given any consideration to being attracted to women.Maybe, in general, she wasn’t. But there was just something about Maya. Maybe it was because they understood the most complicated parts of each other’s life with ease, but Shroud didn’t mind the idea of Maya being so fond of her. “It’s just with how you always speak of Otoya--”

“Otoya is dead.”

Once again, Maya’s cadence startled Shroud. It was true, there was no doubt to that. Kurenai Otoya had been dead for more than two decades. Shroud remembered hearing about it around the time it had happened, though no one seemed to know how or why. Shroud would never have thought he died protecting a woman he dearly loved, fighting against something as huge and powerful as the King of Fangire.

“I will always love Otoya. He is Wataru’s father, and brought about so much change to my life.” Maya spoke softly, clutching Shroud’s hand, “But he is gone, and you are here.” Maya smiled in the darkness, turning her head to stare up at the moon through the window over the bed. ”I still cannot determine if this is the same sort of love that I felt for Otoya, but it is certainly love in some manner.” Maya loosened her hold on Shroud’s hand, but didn’t let go. “But… if that is not what you feel -- If I have made you uncomfortable, I can keep more distance.”

Shroud recognized the physical signal. The ball was in her court now. She squeezed Maya’s hand, “I don’t want you to regret your feelings. I’m not exactly in any state to be… involved that way.”

Maya turned onto her side, laying her head against Shroud’s shoulder, “You are still grieving your partner, you are worried for your children… We do not have to be ‘involved’, as you put it. We will simply be what we have been these past months. We will be here, and we will find a way to make things right.”

Shroud turned onto her side, wrapping her free arm around Maya’s shoulders. “...That’s good enough for now.” Maya smiled and settled against Shroud’s warmth. She was noticeably warmer than Otoya had been, which was something she still couldn’t figure out. But it was for another day. For now, she just lay still as she felt Shroud settle and slowly fall asleep. Maya thought about the things they had talked about and her mind drifted back to the boy caring for Shroud’s son and the things she wasn’t being told. She wondered how many of those things Taiga might have the resources to get answers to. She would keep it in mind, but resolved to spend the following day at home. Shroud was formulating risky plans and Maya wanted to be sure she didn’t make any moves too quickly and get hurt. They had plenty of food for now. Maya could take a few days to help calm Shroud again and make sure she approached whatever this was rationally. Perhaps, if she was lucky, she could talk Shroud out of it. After all, Hidari was already in place. There had to be some way to make use of him. Was it really just that the boy reminded Shroud of her partner? Maya listened to her slow breathing, sure that couldn’t be all of it. She knew how much Narumi Soukichi had meant to Shroud, but there was some piece missing still.

Maya kept her resolution, staying home with Shroud until their food ran out. they walked and listened to the radio, Maya showed her old photos and more clippings about Otoya, as well as more recent ones about her sons. She thought that things seemed to settle down into a nice routine, as if there weren’t a looming threat that Shroud would have to face, that there wasn’t a risky plan to execute. Just nine comfortable days beside a woman she grew to care more for as each one passed.

 

When Shroud was awake, after they had finished their breakfast, Maya put on her cloak. “I am going to visit my son Taiga. I will be back with groceries this evening.” she told Shroud softly, “Please don’t do anything reckless while I’m away.”  
Shroud rose from the table, gathering their dishes, “I won’t go anywhere. But I need to make contact with Isaka soon, before Ryubee can make a move.” Maya sighed and pulled her hood up.

“Soon, but not today. Promise me.”

“I promise. I’ll be here when you get back.” Shroud placed the dishes in the sink. Maya smiled and crossed to Shroud, placing her hands on her shoulders and leaning in to kiss her cheek. Maya laughed softly as Shroud tensed and awkwardly shifted her weight at the show of affection. Otoya had never gotten so flustered, and Maya found it deeply amusing.

“Then I will see you when I return. We will have dinner and then we can walk if you would like.” Maya chirped, “The fresh air will clear your head.” Without waiting for a response, Maya took a step back, then turned with an overly emphasized flourish of her cloak and disappeared through the front door.

Shroud turned her head to watch Maya go, unable to help being amused by how dramatic Maya could be when it suited her. Maya was oddly childish in that way, but it was one of Shroud’s favorite things about her. She finished the dishes, then closed the front door before gathering her things in the living room. Shroud laid out the small handful of GaiaMemories she had been able to salvage when escaping Museum. Too many of them were based on a specific idea or trait. Someone like Isaka would need something more adaptable. though that ran the risk of also being hard for her to destroy. But she had Bomb, which was powerful in it’s own right. A large enough explosion could at least break the memory. Slowly, Shroud began to set aside choices one after the other and found herself after a lengthy process of elimination left with a white memory labeled with a stylized W --- Weather.


End file.
